Fiji

Six Chinese nationals are in custody over the alleged scam.

Chief of Intelligence and Investigation, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Henry Brown, confirmed to Fiji Sun.

He said the Chinese were arrested in Lautoka on December 6 after a tip-off.

The Chinese had allegedly withdrawn more than $10,000 (US$5,000) when apprehended and a number of ATM cards were found on them, he said.

He said investigators were now trying to ascertain the origins of the ATM cards and they were liaising with financial institutions.

Frank Bainimarama has recommended to the president that Colonel Vasu be dismissed and Kameli Ratuvakalevulevu be made the acting commissioner.

Colonel Vasu was in court for allegedly approving the purchase of goods worth more than US $60,000 from the Naboro Mini-Mart in which he is a company director.

The airline recently won the bid to operate the MA60 after a previous lease between the two was terminated in February after the 56-seater plane was grounded.

Real Tonga's chief executive Tevita Palu says the company is now waiting on the government to certify the aircraft but he hopes to use it for international routes.

"There is nothing stopping us from doing that. The aeroplane, the MA60, it was not capable of doing that route before so hopefully this time round the aircraft will be certified to serve those routes."

Fiji came from 7-0 behind to win the opening round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, beating England 28-17 in a pulsating final at 7he Sevens Stadium.

The paper, released by the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG), details the dangers posed by PACER-Plus for Pacific livelihoods and how out of touch with the Pacific reality such free trade agreements are.

FBC News says it has sighted the email, which it says was found on a computer in an internet shop in Lautoka last week.

The shop owner, who alerted police, is under military guard in hospital after he was allegedly severely beaten by police officers.

FBC News says the attack was planned to be carried out by what it calls disciplined officers during a parliamentary sitting also attended by the acting Prime Minister, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

A police spokesperson, Ana Naisoro, says the police will not be making any comments on the ongoing investigations.

FBC News reports the MV Suilven began listing as it entered Suva harbour at the end of a journey from the Northern Division.

It says the ship sank within an hour.

Fiji's shadow foreign minister, Ratu Isoa Tikoca, says the UN owes Fiji US$138 million dollars for peace keeping duties, going back a decade.

This week Ben Groenewald resigned suddenly from the post amid comments over the military's interference in the work of police.

His replacement is Sitiveni Qiliho who had been the Land Force commander.

The acting head of the UN Human Rights office for the Pacific, Catherine Phuong, says they had developed close links with the Fiji police under Groenewald.

She said they hope for a continued good relationship and says the bottom line must be zero tolerance for acts of ill-treatment.

President-elect Major General Jioji Konrote will be officially sworn in as President of the Republic of Fiji today.

Konrote is the former Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Minister.

The ceremony will be held in the State Room at Government House in Suva.

Meanwhile, following his six year tenure as President of Fiji Ratu Epeli Nailatikau has been selected for another distinguished appointment.

He will be honoured with the title of UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador.